The Intersection of Art and Medicine: A Critical Analysis on Edward Munch’s The Sick Child

Abstract

Paintings convey complex emotions and narratives through visual elements such as colour, composition, and symbolism and provide a platform for marginalized voices. This study analyses the painting through the lens of medical humanities, examining how Munch’s work reflects and challenges the medical discourse of ancient times. The Sick Child serves as a reflective tool interlinking art history and medical discourse, offering an exploration of human suffering and illness while simultaneously bridging the gap between artistic representation and medical knowledge. This study critically analyses how Munch’s painting highlights the emotional, social, and cultural dimensions of illness and care giving. The Sick Child is an emotionally charged confession of Munch’s personal trauma and illness that links both autobiographical revelation and artistic expression. The Sick Child as an art contributes to a poignant illness narrative that captures the emotional intensity of suffering and pain. The observer has used a qualitative approach to offer a complete overview on modern solutions and benefits in medical humanities. The study explores the literary elements, symbolic representations, and medical aspects, serving as a multidisciplinary approach in enhancing the value of empathetic and aesthetic approach to medicine and literature.